The Third Wheel

Nineteen ~ Come Out To Play

“Ok, ok I have the perfect outfit for you for tonight!”

“Oh yeah? Should I be worried?”

“Nope, you should be excited.”

As soon as I saw what Verity had picked out, I knew she was right. It was the perfect outfit and it would be the perfect night.

I looked up at Verity, my grin matching hers. “You are a genius.”

***

“Breathe dammit,” Verity stressed, motioning me to intake oxygen before I passed out.

“Ok, ok…it’s going to be ok…”

“Sure is…if you don’t pass out before we even get there,” she said uncertainly, looking genuinely worried. “Thank-god I put blush on you, you’re suddenly so pale.”

“That’s what happens when all your blood rushes to your heart and leaves your brain and every other part of your body…oh god, this was such a bad idea, why would I let Spencer talk me into this?”

“Calm the f*ck down,” Verity said, going for the tough love approach now that the ‘soothe-the-wild-animal’ wasn’t working.

She pulled up outside of Tristan’s house. It was the first time I’d seen it before and I marvelled at how extraordinary it was. It looked like it should have been gold plated and in the middle of Beverly Hills. Wrought iron gates, pillars at the front of the house and a round driveway. They had a bloody fountain in the middle of it for f*ck’s sake. I’d texted Spencer and asked if I could bring a friend, which he said was fine, but Verity didn’t want to come in. It struck me as very strange.

“I need you for moral support!” I pleaded, still hoping she’d change her mind.

“I’m sorry Ariella, but I really can’t come in, I have this thing I was supposed to go to that I forgot to mention…”

I eyed her suspiciously. “That doesn’t even make sense!”

She turned to face me in the car, locking eyes with me. “Listen to me. This is your time to shine. Don’t you dare be afraid of who you are or your power over people. You march your sexy ass inside that rich nerd’s house and make him realise how f*cking gorgeous you are.”

I blinked once. “Ok.”

Then I climbed out of the car and stared at the mansion where Tristan was awaiting. A strange calm settled over me and I walked forward, Verity’s words playing in my head.

“Make him realise how f*cking gorgeous you are.”

A daring smile came over my lips, eyes narrowed mischievously. This was my moment where Sasha was not there to get in my way. The high heeled combat boots crunched on the gravel and my hips sashayed in my short black leather like skirt I wore along with a dark red sleeveless high necked top that flashed a slither of my stomach.

Verity had left my hair natural and hanging in wavy tendrils to my uncovered little waist. My green eyes popped with smoky eye shadow and classy black liquid eyeliner atop. My gloss covered lips curved into a small satisfied smile. I looked good.

I was going to knock them dead.

I knew what was happening. The ‘Other Me’ had come out to play. And I liked it. I liked it a lot.

I’d never had the satisfaction of making someone’s eyes pop the way Sasha always did. The way boys did a double take when they saw her, as if they had to confirm what they were seeing was not just a figment of their darkest fantasies.